Skinner, 21, has missed Carolina’s last five games with an apparent hand injury, one he got checked out by specialists in New York recently for a second opinion.

Health has been a major concern for Skinner since appearing in all 82 games in his rookie campaign, a year in which he scored 63 points and won the Calder. He’s missed 29 games over the last three seasons with concussion and upper-body ailments.

This year, the former OHL Kitchener standout had nine points through 10 games. The ‘Canes have unsurprisingly struggled offensively with Skinner out of the lineup, scoring just seven times in their last five contests.